Samuel Gawith Westmorland Mixture

A new mixture from Samuel Gawith. The tin description indicates it is well-balanced. I suppose that would depend on your idea of balance. My everyday Latakia mixture is Odyssey, so keep that in mind reading this review.

The tin aroma (actually a baggy sample) does not have the intial smoky Latakia aroma I expected, but had a very reserved aroma. It is a ribbon-cut mixture with mostly yellow ribbons with very few darker ribbons. I didn't detect any casing, which the tin indicates it contains. To make a long story short, there was not nearly enough Latakia in this mixture to satisfy me, however, as a very mild VA mixture this may work for you. I do not recommend this to a smoker that glp calls a Latakiaphile.

From the discriptions this blend seemed interesting.once the tin opens a welcoming smell of toquin bean,honey and some smokey notes comes out.the blend moisture needs no drying time.packs almost easy lights with some effort and a few relights are needed.while smoking the flavours are nice and more on the aromatic side than on the english one.virginias are citrusy amd grassy with some rare bread notes.cavendishes are made the traditional way being creamy with some honey notes.latakias are in the backround offering some smokey and woodsy notes.all these flavours are mixed with the toquin bean topping wich is sweet and subtlimates the natural flavours a little.generally the flavours are nice and easy going.burns almost slow and meduim hot witout moisture being created at the filter or the end of the bowl.nicotine level is almost medium and the aftertaste sweet and pleasant.burns to ash mixed with chunks and unburned tobacco.room note is pleasant without tongue bite present.though the addition of latakia this is an all day smoke.in conclusion this blend is interesting and reffers to both aromatic and english blend lovers who want to try something different.

Perfect combination of Latakia and Cavendish - dark, earthy smoke, deep taste. Comes in tin VERY, VERY wet, needs to be dried. Nothing outstanding but decent tobbacco.

Blonde(ish) to burnished brown to black ribbon with a deep earthy tin aroma, and something just under the surface that made it smell slightly sweet. Tonquin, I'm told. Semois-like, my nose says. Just a hint of latakia smokiness to boot, but the pervasive aroma was good old pure tobacco.

In the pipe, this smokes as it smells... barely sweet, and not in a Cavendish sort of way. More of a Semois-type sweetness, but not as rich as in pure Semois. Flavor was deep and rich, but thin in mouthfeel...in other words, a tasty but not robust smoke. The latakia was light but to my tastebuds a critical component of the overall flavor, particularly when snorked. It added a scotch-like peat flavor with a hint of smoke that was most enticing. The Virginias were not sweet in the least and this blend could have collapsed into "meh" territory quite easily for me, but the latakia and that light but pervasive hit of tonquin elevated it. I got the impression that this blend was a long time in the making, with a lot of tweaking along the way. In other words, this was no "let's chop up some BBF and add this and that and call it done". One tin helped but I honestly don't feel like I have this one's full measure, so I'm going to pick up a few more tins. It's extremely likely that this is a 4-star blend. Gawithian and yet unique. Might not be one I ultimately smoke a lot of but definitely worth a shot, and probably one for my occasional rotation.

The Virginias have the same basic flavor as an SG or GH Virginia rope. I describe it as a "generic" tobacco flavor for lack of a better term. I like that flavor a lot. It's not as bold here as in a rope though. A bit milder. Along with that is a hint of Latakia and a nice sweetness. I don't get much more than that out of this mix. It's pleasant and it satisfies. Nothing special, but a good solid smoke.

Mild to medium in body and taste. Mild in flavoring. My tin was bit too moist and needed some drying time. Burns very well when dry. I noted no soapiness as others have stated.

Westmorland Mixture

Star Rating = 3.00

Rating Scores - 10 is the Best and 0 is the Worst

Pouch Note = 8

Room Note = 8

Flavor = 8

Bite = 8

Burn = 8

After Taste = 8

Raw Score = 48

Rated Percentage = 80%

Comment = Smooth, Strong Flavor, has some Latakia, smokes hot, white ash Burn

Well, to give you a vague idea, take Grousemoor but with much less flavoring, add a very slight touch of cavendish and an even slighter touch of Latakia for just a hint of smokiness...

Packs well, burns well, is quite steady in taste... but IMHO it's very boring. Ok, once in a while it might be plesant, but nothing more...

I want more substance and taste from my pipe, and this one while devoid of faults does not excite me. And the combination of "very light Latakia + fresh and lemony flavoring" is not the best idea in the world for my tastebuds...

Off the top of my head, I can't think of another tobacco that is similar to Westmorland Mixture. I would describe this blend as mainly a Virginia blend with some manually added sweetness and tonquin. There is just a wisp of Latakia, but other than the Virginia's, the Cavendish is the only other tobacco that makes its presence known to me. I do get a very slight similarity to Grousemoor, but unlike Grousemoor, I would have a difficult time calling this an aromatic. Westmorland is best smoked slowly in order to get the entire flavor and to avoid being bit as this blend will bite if given the opportunity. There really is a lot of flavor to be had for those with patience. This would not be an everyday smoke for me, but it is recommended

This blend is predominately virginia with some cavendish. The flavoring is Tonquin Bean, and smells like fresh hay in the pouch, very nice, with the slightest hint of smoked latakia.

The smoke is sweet, mild and light bodied. The flavor is very special, subtle and elusive. The tonquin bean and latakia weave in and out if you have a clean palate and the time to relax and enjoy. The flavor is there but not there, if you know what I mean. All the while a nice mix of quality virginia and smooth cavendish relaxes and soothes your soul. A morning or first pipe of the day. Lighter and milder than Squadron Leader or Skiff.



The side stream is extremely pleasant and is a joy in itself. As ivycap mentioned, it is the fragrance of the forest after a rain. The aftertaste is mild tobacco with just a little something else that must be experienced since it cannot be described. My dedicated pipe developed a bowl aroma that is nicer to smell than most unsmoked tobacco I have tried.



This is a great smoke if you have the time and patience to enjoy it. It resets your taste buds with a mild freshness that is so very enjoyable.



However, if you are looking for a nic hit and smoke fast, like all virginias it will burn but not bite your tongue.



Slow down, relax, this to shall pass.